Autoplay Follow

Autoplay is a convenient session feature that allows the event administrator to upload a pre-recorded video that will play, as-if live, at the start of their agenda session. Once Autoplay is activated on a session and the video begins to play, viewers will watch the content in real time. To keep viewers on pace with the event schedule, they will not have the ability to skip forward or backward in the video content when it is playing during the scheduled time.

Autoplay is currently available to use with Webinar-style presentations, Group video meetings, Poster sessions or stand-alone as a single pre-recorded video.

Important Notes:

• Autoplay videos must be uploaded to Pathable as an .mp4, .mov, .webm, or .hls. Linked videos are not supported by autoplay. 
• Due to technical limitations, videos must be uploaded and scheduled no later than 15 mins before the session start time.
• Due to video conforming, there is an additional processing time when uploading long video files. Please allow at least the length of the content time for processing.
• Recommended file duration of greater than 5 mins. Short-duration files do not allow the system to start streaming before the file has finished playing back. This system works well playing pre-recorded webinars over 5 minutes in length.

Adding Autoplay to Your Event

Setting Up Autoplay

Release on Start Time

Attendee Experience

Monitoring Usage

FAQ

 

Adding Autoplay to Your Event

Please contact your Account Executive to add Autoplay to your event. Autoplay can be added in hourly increments depending on your content's run time. The price is based upon your contract's attendee level as we need to account for the max number of viewers that could be watching your content.

 

Setting Up Autoplay

We have made using the Autoplay feature as simple as possible. Currently, Autoplay needs to be manually scheduled per Agenda session under the Virtual tab. We are planning to include Autoplay settings in Data Imports and this document will reflect when those changes take place.  

Basic Setup:

1. Navigate to your Agenda session
2. Click on the "Virtual" tab
3. Select "Pre-recorded or live streamed webinar"
4. Select "Enable Autoplay"
5. Click the "Apply" button
6. Click the "+ Add Video" button
7. Upload your pre-recorded video
8. Name your video
9. Select "Use this video for Autoplay"
10. Click the "Save" button
11. Under the Autoplay Column the video will initially show "Livestream processing"
12. Once the video is processed the column will show "Livestream scheduled"
13. This session is now scheduled to start at the session start time.  

Combination Functions:

Webinar Style Meeting + Autoplay: Event admins would like to automatically play back pre-recorded content and have a Webinar panel discussion. Under the "Virtual" tab, select "Webinar-style presentation", set the webinar capacity and select "Enable pre-recorded videos". Follow the above setup, starting at step #4.  

Group Video Meeting + Autoplay:  Event admin would like to play back pre-recorded content and have a meeting after to discuss the content.  Under the "Virtual" tab, select Group video meeting, set the meeting capacity and select "Enable pre-recorded videos". Follow the above setup, starting at step #4.  

Poster Session + Autoplay: Event admin would like to play back pre-recorded content while attendees view their poster session. Under the "Virtual" tab, select "A poster session", select "Pre-recorded or live streamed webinar" and select "Enable pre-recorded videos". Follow the above setup, starting at step #4.

 

Release on Start Time

Autoplay still follows the same rules and features that currently exist on Pathable agenda items. When setting up Autoplay for your session, admins are able to enable the "Release uploaded video on meeting start time" option.  

If this option is enabled with Autoplay, this will display the native Pathable countdown timer (below). Once the countdown time concludes, a "Join Session" button will appear to populate the video window.

If this option is disabled with Autoplay, a countdown will display (below) on a video window until the session start time. This screen will disappear and the Autoplay video will start to play back automatically.  

Attendee Experience

Autoplay was designed to simulate a live stream originating from a remote location. Autoplay will display content in real-time while the attendee has limited controls over stopping and starting the content. The video controls still exists, but when moved or paused, will automatically catch up to the live streamed content keeping the attendees on schedule.  

 

Monitoring Usage

Admins can monitor their own Autoplay usage from the event dashboard. When new content has been uploaded and achieves "Livestream scheduled" status it will count against the total hours used. If the scheduled livestream is deleted before being played back, that time will be gained back. If the stream or a portion of the stream is played, the time will count against the total allotment. 

FAQ

Q: Can I change my Autoplay video at the last minute?

A: Due to technical limitations, Autoplay can not be scheduled within 15 minutes of the meeting start time.

 

Q: Can I schedule multiple files to play in succession on a single agenda session?

A: At this time, Autoplay can only be enabled for one pre-recorded video per Agenda Session.

 

Q: If my video is a little longer than my session, will the video keep playing after the session ends?

A: No. Once the session ends, the video content will stop playing. Please adjust the Agenda time to reflect the time needed for your content.

 

Q: How can I keep my audience believing this is actually live and not pre-recorded?

A: Minimize edits and retakes. Even heavily produced events are not perfect.  

 

Q: Can I change the background image on the player countdown screen?

A: Currently, no. We are working on additional customization around this feature.